Alex, seated quietly in the corner, listened intently. A former curse-breaker haunted by his own magic... this isn't normal, he thought. I'll need more information to figure this out.
His eyes drifted to the empty chair nearby—a seat once occupied by Vanessa, a Slytherin senior who had mentored him in the club. She'd always been generous with her advice, guiding him through difficult spells. He heard she'd joined the Ministry of Magic and was interning in the Auror Office now. He wondered how she was doing.
His thoughts were interrupted as Professor Flitwick entered the room, two younger students trailing behind him. "Good evening, everyone!" Flitwick chirped. "It's wonderful to see you all again. Let's start by welcoming this year's new members." He gestured to the students beside him. "First, we have Marlin McMillan, a fifth-year from Hufflepuff. Let's give him a warm welcome!"
The room filled with polite applause as Marlin smiled and waved. "And next, we have Orianna Sterling, a third-year from Ravenclaw!"
Alex's eyebrows rose slightly at the name. Orianna seemed familiar, and as she descended the steps from the podium, he realized why. She'd arrived at Hogwarts the same year as him, though they'd only crossed paths briefly. Orianna's eyes scanned the room as Flitwick directed her to the seat next to Alex. When she spotted him, her expression soured.
'Him? Seriously?' Orianna thought as she recalled their last interaction. They interacted twice so far and none of it is good experience. Still, her brow furrowed in confusion as she sat down. Wait a second. He's in my year. How's he already in the Charms Club?
Meanwhile, Professor Flitwick cleared his throat to refocus the group's attention. "Now that we've introduced our new members, let's move on to the research topics for this year. Most are the same as previous years, but we have an exciting new addition this time. I hope everyone will work hard on it!" With a flick of his wand, the whiteboard lit up, and the topics for the year began appearing one by one in neat, glowing letters.
"The development of elemental magic?" Alex muttered, his eyes lighting up as he spotted the new topic. "That's innovative." He quickly jotted it down in his notebook.
Noticing this, Orianna followed suit, her notebook open as she recorded the information. Professor Flitwick waited for the students to finish before speaking again.
"Before we dive into this year's projects, let's take a moment to celebrate an achievement. Alex Wilson's paper, 'Development and Application of the Echo Spell,' has been published in several prominent journals, including Century Charms. From what I hear, quite a few notable scholars are very excited about this spell. Alex, be prepared—you'll likely be buried in letters from curious wizards any day now!"
The room erupted into applause, and Alex stood to bow politely. "Thank you, Professor, and thank you, everyone," he said humbly. "But honestly, I couldn't have done it without the inspiration I've gained from this club and the guidance of amazing mentors like Professor Flitwick and Professor Burns. I'm especially grateful to Senior Quirrell for his work on the Amplified Sound Spell, which provided a critical breakthrough for my research."
Quirrell, sitting nearby, gave Alex a small nod and was the first to applaud again, sparking another round of clapping from the group. Orianna, on the other hand, stared at Alex, her mind reeling. 'This is the same Alex who laughed at me for slipping in the Snow during first year? He developed a spell advanced enough to be published in Century Charms? Is this a joke?'
Professor Flitwick beamed with pride. "Alex's accomplishment is a testament to what hard work and creativity can achieve. Now, Alex, why don't you demonstrate the Echo Spell for us? Everyone has read the paper, but I'm sure we'd all love to see it in action."
Alex nodded, stepping to the front. He took a deep breath before addressing the room.
"The Echo Spell works on a principle similar to echolocation," Alex explained, his tone calm but confident. "By emitting high-frequency sound waves, it captures their reflections to create an accurate image of the surroundings. The spell is particularly useful for exploration, tracking, and reconnaissance. For instance, it's ideal for surveying underwater terrain or areas obscured by obstacles."
The students exchanged curious glances. While some nodded thoughtfully, others looked utterly lost, reluctant to admit they didn't fully grasp the explanation. "To break it down," Alex continued, "the spell has two parts: transmitting and receiving. The transmission part is straightforward—it's cast with a wand. The receiving part, however, requires a magical prop created with alchemy."
He reached into his bag and pulled out a large, round mirror, roughly a meter in diameter. The frame gleamed faintly with runes, though it was clear the craftsmanship was temporary. "This is a prototype I put together recently. It's not perfect—the spell only lasts about a year on this device—but it's sufficient for demonstrations.
With a wave of his wand, Alex levitated the mirror into the air, positioning it so everyone could see. Then, he cast the Echo Spell. The room fell silent as faint ripples of magic radiated from the mirror. Moments later, the glass shifted, displaying a black-and-white, line-rendered image of the classroom. Every detail, from chairs to students, was depicted with remarkable accuracy. Gasps echoed as Alex manipulated the image. With a flick of his wand, he panned the view, showing the ceiling, corners of the room, and even the areas beneath desks. "Impressive," someone whispered.
Alex walked over to a window and opened it, casting the spell again. This time, the mirror displayed the world outside: the courtyard, trees swaying gently in the breeze, and the castle walls. Despite the monochromatic quality, the level of detail was astounding. "It's like watching a live feed from a drone," a senior murmured.
Alex returned to the front, allowing everyone to take a closer look at the mirror. Even Professor Flitwick stepped forward, inspecting the magic with a keen eye. "This is incredible, Alex," Flitwick said, his voice filled with admiration. "Your work on this spell is even more groundbreaking than I'd imagined. Now, I challenge you to make it more accessible—find a way to simplify the receiving mechanism so the spell can be cast by any wizard without requiring a device."
Orianna, still marveling at the magical demonstration, couldn't help but be impressed. The spell Alex had cast was nothing short of extraordinary, exceeding everyone's expectations. She glanced at him, curiosity and surprise flickering in her eyes. But Alex remained as composed as ever, acknowledging Professor Flitwick's praise with just a modest nod, his expression unreadable.
The Charm Club buzzed with excitement, and the students erupted into enthusiastic applause. They were captivated by Alex's talent, and the Echo spell became the hot topic of discussion. Conversations about its intricacies carried on, with Alex answering questions humbly and clearly. The lively atmosphere of academic enthusiasm resonated with him; it was exactly the kind of place he enjoyed.